SeaWorld killer killer whale must die, Bible insists

Enraged blogger cites vengeful Judeo-Christian tradition

The revelation that Tilikum - the killer whale which last week lived up to its species' name by killing SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau - had killed before, prompted much debate as to whether the tragedy could have been avoided.

In 1991, Tilikum was involved in the death of Keltie Byrne at an aquarium in Victoria, British Columbia. After his transfer to SeaWorld, he was implicated in another death - that of a man who'd "apparently sneaked into SeaWorld after hours to swim with the whales" and was "found draped dead across his back", as the Orlando Sentinalputs it.

Well, two lives could have been saved "if the counsel of the Judeo-Christian tradition had been followed" back in 1991, according to this insight into Biblical provision for dealing with murderous animals.

Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association notes: "Says the ancient civil code of Israel, 'When an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable.' (Exodus 21:28)"

You ignore this at your peril, because if your ox kills again, then "'the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.' (Exodus 21:29)"

Mercifully, not even Fischer wants SeaWorld management executed for Tilikum's multiple murders, and in a suitably modern American-style take on the Judeo-Christian tradition suggests that "if I were the family of Dawn Brancheau, I'd sue the pants off SeaWorld".

Or, as the American Family Association King James Bible (SeaWorld Edition) puts it: "But if the whale were wont to push with his snout in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the whale shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be sued pantless." ®